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Lodestar Chapter 8
Chapter Eight The Christmas season was over, and it was back to normalcy for those in Lodestar. Michael Potter had gotten used to living in the new house with his friends, Albert Dawson and Chad Hutchinson. Standing outside of the house the three shared, he was smoking a cigarette, and just getting ready for work. Michael, Chad and Albert had known each other all their lives. They had all gone to Lodestar High together, and they made quite the trio. Chad and Michael were extremely protective of Albert. They had seen the bruises and welts he had received constantly from his useless parents and it angered them to no end. Albert was sitting in his room, as he was trying to get some relaxation in. He was listening to some of his new age music. He was wrapped in his blanket and he was holding his doll, feeling safe. Albert felt safe with Michael and Chad making a nice home for him. Meanwhile, at Wendell Roberts' home, Tracy Barlow was disgusted. She was living in a pigs sty! She had been doing more cleaning and cooking than she had ever done in her life! Even when she had lived in Weatherfield, she hadn't ever really done much cooking. This town is deader than a doornail, she thought grimly, not even a classy restaurant in this burg. Biggest place is that tacky bar and grill downtown! And I am busy working like a slave for a lazy lump and his idiotic son! I should have never left Manchester! Wendell yelled, "Hey, Ms. Barlow, how's about my dinner?!" "It's coming," Tracy said, a mite irritated, "I've only got two hands!" "Women!" Wendell muttered to Virgil, whom he had released from prison, how, nobody knew, "y'know, Virg, it's good that ya killed off that Alzada. She'd been no good, an' that kid was nothing!" "Yer right, Dad," Virgil sneered, "that Alzada wasn't worth anythin' except a good lay!" Tracy was infuriated. She had heard those two chauvinists and she had had enough of them and their insults. She took their dinner. The two men grinned with their idiotic grins. She then dumped it on top of their heads! "You two are disgusting," she screamed, "all you have done, from the moment I set foot here is order me around like I was a housewife! I am not married to either one of you, and I am so glad I'm not! I should have never come here! You two pigs deserve one another!" "Listen here, woman," Wendell snarled, "all yer good fer is a good lay an' to clean our mess and cook our meals! That is all women are good for!" "I'm leaving," she screeched, "I am never coming back!" "Good!" Virgil sneered, "We'll find someone else who will cook an' clean fer us!" Tracy grabbed her suitcase and stormed out of the house. She ran into Chad Hutchinson. He glared at her. "What do you want?" he said angrily. "I need to get out of here," Tracy said, "I can't stand being here one minute more." "There's the bus," he said coldly, "get on it, and get the hell out of here. I'll never forgive you for the pain you inflicted on my ward!" Tracy went to the bus, lugging her large amount of luggage, and she was taken to the airport in Abilene and she flew back to Manchester for good. Chad held Albert close, he knew something was wrong. That Tracy had done something to his friend, and he aimed to find out what it was! Chad walked with Albert next to him. He lit a cigarette and he kept Albert close to his side. He wasn't going to allow Albert to be hurt further. He called a number which was international. It was to Ken Barlow, Tracy's father. "Hello, Mr. Barlow," Chad said, "my name is Chad Hutchinson, and I want to know something about your daughter, Tracy." "What has she done now?" Ken asked, very concerned. "She apparently was in league with two very disreputable folk here in town," Chad said, "and it affects my ward, Albert Dawson." "How are you two connected?" he asked. "Albert's my long-time best friend," Chad explained the whole story to Ken, who seemed to understand, "but when I saw him just now, he had shut down. He's got Autism and PTSD, and I was wondering if she had a baseball bat with her?" "I was wondering where it was," Ken said, "you mean?!" "Yes, Mr. Barlow," Chad said, "I bet that Virgil threatened him with a ball bat again! This time he's gone too far!" "Don't do anything rash," Ken advised, "your Albert would be lost without you. Keep him in mind." Chad looked at Albert with deep affection, "I'm not going to do anything," he said, "I am not going to land myself behind bars! Virgil isn't worth it! I'm staying within the confines of the law. But I am going to see to it that Virgil Roberts and his waste of space father are locked away once and for all!" Category:Lodestar Episodes